As many as 12 army personnel were killed when their helicopter crashed near Mansehra on Thursday evening.
Pakistan Army’s Mi-17 ‘air ambulance’ helicopter carrying a medical team, crashed in the Rani Bat area of Koh-e-Bhaingra hill, around 65 kilometres from Mansehra.
“There were 12 military men with doctors, paramedic and aviation people on board,” a senior military official said.
The crash is suspected to have been caused by adverse weather as the helicopter flew over the mountains while heading towards Gilgit from Rawalpindi.
An official of the military’s media wing confirmed the incident, adding that the helicopter was carrying relief items and medicines to Gilgit.
Eight bodies were recovered from the site of the accident, said senior police official Nujeebur Rehman.
The charred corpses were burnt beyond recognition and the aircraft, which was carrying aid supplies, was still on fire in the evening, he added.
“The accident occurred in a hilly area that is not easily accessible, and the helicopter is still on fire,” he said.
The military has been operating helicopter flights in the region to aid with flood relief and rescue efforts.
Earlier in the week, the National Disaster Management Authority had requested the government for two helicopters to carry out relief and rescue work in the flood affected areas of the province.
The Russian-built Mi-17, used by air forces across the world, has had a patchy safety record in recent years.
The accident comes hours after a helicopter of the Pakistan air force crashed in the flood-hit district of Chitral, although no causalities were reported.
In May, an Mi-17 army helicopter crashed at a holiday resort in the picturesque hills of Gilgit killing seven people, including two ambassadors.
